Shoe tree



F. A. LISI Dec. 31, 1940.

SHOE TREE Filed July 14,'1959 INVENTOR 59AM/K ,4. Aff

y Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe trees.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shoe tree of light,strong construction having originally a fiat shape which may be`refolded flat for convenient storage when not in use. Such a shoe treeis of particular advantage for travelling, particularly by airplane,where extreme lightness is of importance.

It is afurther object of this invention to provide a shoe tree whichwill hold the toe portion of the shoe to the shape of the last withoutimproperly distending or misshaping the proper contour thereof.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a shoe tree of open orskeleton form which will permit a free circulation of air into the shoeso that the latter will dry properly after wearing.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shoe tree havingrelatively large flat surfaces for the reception of advertising materialand the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe tree of sufcientlyinexpensive material and construction so that the same may be given awayby a Shoemaker with each purchase of shoes, or may be provided for useof guests by hotels, transportation companies and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing, which illustratesone preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevationand partly invertical section of a ladys shoe with the shoe tree applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the shoe tree in the approximate shapeassumed when placed in a shoe.

Figure 4` is a side elevation of the shoe tree in its at condition, and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a suggested container for dispensingpairs of shoe trees, the latter being indicated within the container bydotted lines.

For purposes of illustration the tree is shown as applied to a ladysshoe I0 having a sole II and an upper or vamp I2. It is to beunderstood, of course, that the tree may be applied to all types ofboots and shoes. 'I'he tree proper comprises a blank of suitable sheetmaterial bent or folded to proper shape, as shown generally at I5. Theblank may be formed of somewhat flexible or resilient sheet material ofstiffness sufficient to provide the proper support for the shoe, butinsufficient to prevent the bending of the flaps, to be described, toproper shape. For this purpose I have found numerous types of cardboardlto be adequate and satisfactory, but of course it will be understood`that other material such as various light metals, corrugated boards,resin treated materials `and the like may be employed. The tree I5 isnormally substantially flat, and preferably `comprises a pair of bodyportions IS of substantially identical shape, each having bottom flaps l'I and upper flaps I8.

The bottom flap I'I is secured to, or bent from the body I6 along theline I9. The curved edge 22 of the flap II is preferably adapted, whenthe flap is folded out of the plane of the body, to cover the insole 23when the shoe tree is applied as shown in Figure 2. In order that theHap Il may bend to conform to the shape of the insole, score lines 24may be provided in the flap I'I.

The upper flaps I8 are secured to, or folded from the body along theline 25 which is preferably curved inwardly in the central portion ofthe body portion I 6. Provision of the curved line 25 insures that thetree will fit the contour of the vamp I2 and further insures that theflaps I8 will bear upward against the vamp in a positive `manner as thecollapse of these flaps is prevented by the shape of the curve 25,whichproduces an arched effect,` and ordinarily may be as shown in Figure 4with the line 25 curved. Thus ordinarily the shape of the curved fold 25may be approximately as shown, but other forms of folds includingstraight folds have been found to be useful. Score lines 26 arepreferably provided in the upper flaps I8 permitting the flaps to formthemselves to the contour of the vamp and thus support the shoe inproper shape. The scoring in either upper or lower flaps is notsufficiently deep to weaken the tree so that while the upper and lowerflaps I'I and I8 form themselves somewhat to the shape of the shoe, theynevertheless offer adequate support and tend to keep the shoe in itsproper shape.

While the body portions I6 may be used in two separate pieces, it ispreferable that these portions be secured together. Various means ofsecuring them have been found to be adequate, but I have found itdesirable to form the body portions integrally, joining them With a web3| which extends between the rear edges of the body portions and itselfoffers support to the tree and thus to the shoe. The web 3l preferablyextends perpendicularly between the two body portions I6 when the treeis in position in the shoe and has the further advantage of making thetree somewhat wider at the back so that the tree will nt the naturalshape of the shoe somewhat better. I further prefer in order to insurethat the shoe tree will assume the same shape each time it is applied tothe shoe that the body portions I6 be joined intermediate their edgesand to this end I may use the eyelet 2l or any other convenientfastening means. The body portions may be secured together adhesivelyover their entire surface or a portion thereof if desired.

The tree may be inserted into the shoe in the position shown in Figure 1and the flaps will assume the position approximately illustrated inFigures 2 and 3, the iiaps I8 tending to bear upwardly and the flaps ildownwardly, thus supporting the shoe in its original and proper shape.The tree furthermore is held in this position by the centering of thelower end of the web 3i on the insole of the shoe as particularlyillustrated in Figure 1.

It will be seen particularly with reference to Figure 2 that rather thanfilling the entire inner portion of the shoe, the tree is of skeletalform and permits freecrculation of air through the shoe thus aiding indrying thereof after wearing.

Pairs of the trees of my invention may be dispensed in their flatcondition in numerous convenient forms such as the envelope-likecovering 3G shown in Figure' which is represented to contain a pair ofshoe trees. The body portion both of the shoe trees and of the envelopemay be decorated with suitable advertising material 33 which thus willmake the tree a more attractive item from the standpoint of thedispenser and the consumer. If desired the envelope may be made oftransparent material such as Cellophane, in which case the trees withthe advertising thereon can be seen through the envelope wall.

While I have illustrated and described in detail certain preferred formsof my invention, it is to be understood that changes may be made thereinand the invention embodied in other structures.

'I I do not, therefore, desire to limit myself to the specificconstructions illustrated, but intend to cover my invention broadly inwhatever form its principles may be utilized.

I claim:

1. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprisprising a fiat bodyportion of non-metallic resilient sheet material having upper and lowernaps foldable out of the plane of the body into subfoldable from theupper and lower portions of the body portion, said upper naps formingsubstantially the shape of a vamp and said lower aps formingsubstantially the shape of the front part of an insole.

4. A shoe tree comprising a doubled body portion, upper and lower flapsextending from said body, said upper flaps being adapted to be foldedout of the plane of said body to assume the shape of a part of a Vamp,said lower aps being foldable out of the plane of the body assuming theshape of a part of an insole.

5. A shoe tree comprising a double fold of material forming a body,upper and lower flaps on said body, scored lines between said aps andsaid body, and a plurality of lightly scored lines on said flaps, saidupper aps being adapted to conform to the shape of the inside of a vampof a shoe and said lower flaps being adapted to conform to the shape ofan insole.

6. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprising substantially flatbody portions joined at one edge thereof by an integral web and meanscarried by the upper and lower edges of the body portions for engagingthe sole and the vamp of a shoe, and supporting said sole and said vampin shape.

7. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprising a flexible resilientvamp supporting portion, a sole engaging portion, and a substantiallyrigid body of small cross sectional area compared to the horizontalcross sectional area of the part of the shoe in which the shoe tree isto be inserted extending between the vamp and sole engaging portions andforming a strut for bracing them apart.

8. A shoe tree comprising a vertical body portion adapted to extendsubstantially from the sole to the Vamp of the inside of a shoe,flexible resilient sole engaging aps extending from either side of thebottom of said body portion and flexible resilient Vamp engaging flapsextending from either side of the top of said body portion.

9. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprising a substantiallyvertically extending body portion, sole engaging aps extending from thebase thereof and curved vamp engaging flaps extending from the topthereof.

10. A shoe tree comprising a single piece of stili bendable sheetmaterial folded upon itself to form a normally vertical two-ply body,each of said body plies carrying an upper Vamp engaging flap and a lowersole engaging flap.

11. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprising aflexible resilientportion of sheet material adapted to fit inside of and support the Vampof a shoe, a sole engaging portion adapted to bear against the innersurface of the sole and a flat upright web constituting a strut bracingthe vamp and sole engaging portions apart.

FRANK A. LISI.

